What were some of the things you didn’t like about student teaching?

     Q:  What were some of the things you didn’t like about student teaching?
     A:   I was sometimes frustrated about the time schedule.  The periods were all divided into 90-minute time frames.  My students and I would sometimes really get into a topic and then we’d have to end because the bell rung.  I found it upsetting that there wasn’t always sufficient time to cover all the material AND provide students with enough guided practice to put that information into practice.  It sometimes seemed as though we were prisoners to the clock.  But, it did teach me about time management and the fact that I need to provide complete lessons in a designated time frame.  That’s something I continue to work on.

            The best way to answer this question is to respond with something that has absolutely nothing to do with your abilities or your performance.  Identify something that is outside your control – the schedule, the clock, the bus schedule, the constant entrance and exit of students throughout the day, or the lack of adequate classroom computers.  Make sure your response is about something over which you had no control.

What were the most rewarding aspects of student teaching?

     Q:  What were the most rewarding aspects of student teaching?

     A:   One of my professors always used to say, “The best teachers are those who have as much to learn as they do to teach.”  I discovered that to be a good teacher one always has to be open to new strategies, new techniques, and new possibilities.  Student teaching made clear to me that just because I have a lot of “book learning” doesn’t mean that I know everything there is to know about teaching.  Not only did I have to keep up on the latest information about biology education, I also had to be open to suggestions and comments from other teachers, administrators, and yes, even students.  Keeping an open mind was critical to my success as a student teacher as I’m sure it will be to my success as a biology teacher.  I don’t believe there’s such a thing as a finite body of knowledge – good teachers are always searching for new information and are always willing to consider new possibilities.

            Administrators want to hire people who are not only consummate teachers, but are well-rounded as well.  This question provides you with a unique opportunity to demonstrate your personal philosophy as well as your professional philosophy.  Your response should show evidence of both your teaching competence as well as your long-term potential.

FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK:      “I particularly dislike candidates who ramble on and on about themselves or communicate they are ‘in love with themselves.’”